Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-06-24
BILL NYE And JAY GOULD.
THE HUM0RlST PAYS HIS RESPECTS TO
THE RICH PHIlANTHR0PlST.

An Old Passing Acquaintance Slightly Re-
newed-Kind Solcitude That Was Not
Appreciated-A Few Sunday Reflections
on a Millionaire and His Prospects A
Rich Mans Possibilities in Paradise.
1t had been ten long weary years
since l last met Jay Gould until | call
ed upon him yesterday to renew the ac-
quaintance and discuss the happy past
Ten years OF patient toll and earnest
endeavor on my part, ten years OF
philanthropy OH his. have been filed
away in the grim and greedy hereto
fore. Both of us have changed in t t
time, though Jay has changed more
than l have Perhaps that is because
he has been thrown more in contact
with change than | have.
Still, had changed good deal in
those years. for when | called at Irv-
ington yesterday Mr.. Gould did not
remember me. Neither did the watch
full but overestimated dog in the front
yard. Mr.. Gould lives in comfort, in
CHEEKY home, surrounded by hired
help and barbed- wire fence.
BY wearing ready-made clothes, in
stead of having his clothing made es-
pecially for himself, he has been enabled
TO amass good many millions Of
dollars with which he is enabled to buy
things
Carefully concealing the fact that |
had any business relat ons with the
press, i gave my card to the person
who does chores for Mr.. Gould, and,
apologizing for not having dropped in
before, took a seat in the spare room
to wait for the great railroad magnate,
Mr. Gould entered the room with
low, stealthv tread. and looked me
over in cursory way and yet with the
air of a connoiseur,
Il believe that have never had the
pleasure of meeting YOU before, sir, y
said the great railroad swallower and
amateur Pm lantropist with a tinge of
railroad irony.
Yes, sir, we met some ten years
ago" said /, lightly running my fingers
over the keys of the piano in order to
show him that was accustomed to the
sight of a piano. Il was then working in
the rolling mill at Laramie City. Wyo.
and on came to visit the mill, which
was then operated by the Union Pacific
Railroad Company. You do not re-
member me because | have purchas ed
a different pair of trousers since saw
you, and the cane which ! wear this
season, changes my whole appearance
also, l remember you, however, very
much.
well. if we grant all that, Mr.. Nye.
will you excuse me for asking YOU to
what am indebted for this call ?'
Well, Mr.. Gould" said |, rising
to my full height and putting my soft
hat on the brow of the Venus de Milo
after which I seated myself opposite
him in degdge Western way, "you
are indebted to me for this call. That 5
what you're indebted TO. But we will
let that pass. We are not here to talk
about Indebtedness, Jay. If you are
busy you needn't TO return this call till
next winter. But i am here just to
converse in a quiet way, as between
man and man. To talk over the past,
to ask you how your conduct is and to
inquire if | can do YOU any good in any
way whatever. This is no time TO
speak pieces and ask in a grammatical
way, TO what you are indebted for
this call My main object in coming up
here was to take YOU by the hand and
ask you how your memory is this
spring? Judging from what | could
hear. ! was led TO believe that it was a
little inclined to be sluggish and afro
pbied days and to keep you awake
nights. Is that so, Jay ?''
"No, sir; that is not So"
Very well, then | have been mislod
by the reports in the papers, and | am
glad it is all mistake Now, one thing
more before 90. Did it ever occur
to you that while you and your family
are all out in your yacht together some
day, a sudden squall, quick lurch
of the lee scuppers, tremulous move
ment of the main brace, a shudder of
the spring boom might occur and all be
over P'
Eyes sir. / have often thought OF
it, and of course such a thing might
happen at any time but you forget
that while we are out on the broad and
boundless ocean we injoy ourselves,
We are free People with morbid GU
riosity cannot come and call on us. We
cannot get the daily newspapers. and
we do not have to meet low vulgar
people who pay their debts and per.
spire."
"Of course, that is one view to take
of it; but that is only selfish view.
Suppose that you have made no pro-
visions for the future in case of acct
dent. Would it not be well for you tc
name some one outside of your own